Rugby College students organise Remembrance service for community

Public Services students at Rugby College organised a parade and ceremony for Remembrance Day attended by hundreds of students, local schoolchildren and residents.

The thirty students paraded from Rugby College to the British Thomson-Houston war memorial which was relocated in 2010 to an area opposite the college.

A short service was conducted by Rugby College acting chaplain, Lesley Turner, and poppy wreaths were laid before the two minute silence.

Pupils from Boughton Leigh Junior School and Rugby College then read poems to the assembled crowd.

Rugby College students then asked the primary school pupils to sign a commemorative poster to mark the occasion.

Emanuel Domanski, 16, from Daventry, said: “We’ve been practising our marching drill for a few weeks led by our tutor Tony O’Brien and Kieran Evans, one of the other students who is a cadet. It’s an important day - we are not glorifying war, but remembering those who have lost their lives.”

Lucy O’Kane, 17 from Rugby, said: “I’ve never been involved in a parade like this before so have been practising the marching drill a lot - my little brother and sister were helping me this morning! It’s really important to remember on this day so we’re pleased to be a part of it.”

Tony O’Brien, public services lecturer, said: “I thought the students did an excellent job, and the turnout was fantastic. It was so good to see hundreds of people here, especially the schoolchildren. The public services students do this as part of their course for their citizenship module and we are very proud of them.”